After Her Last Straw (Dream Series #1)

Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Light
Zanashi

These past few years have been my darkest times, but it is unbelievable how I was able to find myself in the middle of this nowhere. I have been walking through a dark passageway and instead of losing myself along the way, the darkness brought me into my other self, the better version of myself, who was waiting at the end of the passageway.

"Can I sit here?" said a sweet voice.

I glanced at the person who owned this familiar voice. She was smiling at me while softly pointing at the chair beside me. I cleared my throat and nodded.

Muli kong tiningnan si Sulivan na nakikipag-usap na ngayon sa grupo ng mga matatanda. They keep smiling at him and tapping his shoulder like he did something that has brought amazement to them. I smiled. Yeah, he really did.

"Amazing, isn't he?" she said while staring at Sulivan, her eyes sparkling with adoration and happiness. "Probably, we would be getting married very soon by now. I've already established my own business and he already got his license. Singsing na lang ang kulang. Sana'y hindi ko siya pinakawalan."

My smile instantly left my face. I averted my gaze from Sulivan to Elleanor. I tried to hide my annoyance but my face betrayed me when my eyebrow raised on its own accord.

"Pardon?" mataray kong bigkas, hindi nagustuhan ang kaisipang baka ngayon nga'y malapit na silang ikasal dalawa.

She laughed gracefully. "I'm just kidding."

Kid yourself, not me. I badly want to spat these words to her but I chose to remained silent. Taas-kilay akong bumaling kay Sulivan na ngayon ay kausap na naman ang University President.

We're having a party after the oathtaking ceremony and while my friends enjoyed themselves by talking to other people, I chose to stay here and just watched them from my seat.

Dumapo ang tingin sa akin ni Sulivan habang kausap ang President. Kumunot ang noo niya nang makita ang nakataas kong kilay. Sandali niyang tiningnan si Elleanor bago muling bumaling sa akin. He mouthed are you okay to me so I immediately nodded, afraid that he might come here if I tell him no.

Kanina pa siya sumusubok na umupo sa tabi ko pero hindi pa siya tuluyang nakakaupo ay may lalapit na naman sa kanya para batiin siya. As much as I want to spend time with him today, I would rather see him with them at the moment than locking him by my side. Marami pa naman kaming oras para mag-usap.

"I've never seen him that way to me before.." biglang sabat na naman ni Elleanor. "He's looking at you from time to time. I've been staring at him for a long time but he just noticed me when I sat beside you."

Muli ko siyang tinaasan ng kilay. She wasn't startled by this. "You aren't sitting here for that petty reason, are you?"

"Oh, no. Of course, not.." she laughed once again. "Actually, I really want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About him.."

Kung hindi ko lang napansin ang mukha niya, siguro'y inirapan ko na siyang muli. She was dead serious, though.

"What about him?"

"I.. just.." hilaw siyang ngumiti. "Well.." bumagsak ang tingin niya sa table cloth at pinaglaruan ito. "I.. noticed that he likes you very much. He was never like that to me."

Nanatili akong tahimik at pinigilan ko ang muling pagtaas ng kilay ko. Huminga siya nang malalim at tipid na ngumiti.

"He never liked me before. I know he did try to like me back. We've spent time together because we knew we would eventually marry each other. I fell for him.. but he didn't."